By The first week of June felt like summer had finally arrived for good. School was out and the days stretched long and free. I slept late for the first time in months and spent the mornings helping Mama in the garden. We pulled weeds together and she told me stories about the garden she had as a girl. Kayla joined us and kept asking if the tomatoes would be ready by her birthday. I told her we'd check every day and she made it her official job.
Monday I made a big pot of shrimp and grits using the last of the frozen shrimp we had. The grits came out creamy and the shrimp were spicy from the seasoning I added. Jamal took one bite and actually said "this one's a keeper" without any teasing. Kayla kept stealing spoonfuls of the grits and saying they felt like warm clouds in her mouth. Daddy ate slowly and told me the dish reminded him of the Sunday suppers his mama used to make when he was young.
On Tuesday Jada came over and we sat on the porch making plans for the summer. She wanted to practice dance routines every day and I told her I wanted to learn five new recipes and visit MawMaw Shirley more often. We made a pact to check in with each other every week so we didn't lose touch even though school was out.
Wednesday I helped Mama organize the pantry for summer. We found old pictures from before the flood and looked at them together. She hugged me and said I was her steady one in the middle.
Saturday MawMaw Shirley was having a good energy day. We made a simple cornbread together and she let me add the jalapeños this time. When it came out of the oven she tasted it and smiled slow. "You're starting to trust your own tongue now, baby."
At night I sat on the porch with my notebook, the air warm and the stars bright. Thirteen felt like it was opening up. The flood was a memory we carried lightly now. I still had my round face and thick coiled hair, but my hands were learning confidence. I wasn't rushing the summer. I was letting the roux take its time, one steady circle at a time.
That first Monday of summer, when Jamal called my shrimp and grits “a keeper” and Kayla couldn’t stop sneaking spoonfuls, I knew this was the recipe I wanted to share first. And then Saturday with MawMaw Shirley, getting to add the jalapeños to her cornbread myself and hearing her say I was trusting my own tongue — that cornbread had to come along for the ride. These two dishes together are what the start of summer tasted like in our house, warm and unhurried and exactly right.
Creamy Shrimp and Grits with Jalapeño Cornbread
Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 40 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour | Servings: 6
Shrimp and Grits Ingredients
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 cup stone-ground grits (not instant)
- 3 cups water
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 2 green onions, sliced
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Jalapeño Cornbread Ingredients
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 large egg
- 2 jalapeños, seeded and diced
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Start the grits. Bring water and milk to a boil in a medium saucepan. Slowly whisk in the grits, reduce heat to low, and cook for 20–25 minutes, stirring frequently, until thick and creamy. Stir in butter and cheddar cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and keep warm.
- Preheat for cornbread. Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a 9-inch cast iron skillet or baking pan and place it in the oven to heat while you mix the batter.
- Mix the cornbread batter. Whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk buttermilk, oil, and egg. Pour wet ingredients into dry and stir until just combined. Fold in diced jalapeños and cheddar cheese.
- Bake the cornbread. Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven and pour in the batter. It should sizzle. Bake 20–22 minutes until golden on top and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool slightly.
- Cook the bacon. While the cornbread bakes, cook chopped bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy, about 5 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the drippings in the skillet.
- Sauté the aromatics. Add diced onion to the bacon drippings and cook 3–4 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Cook the shrimp. Season shrimp with smoked paprika, cayenne, and Creole seasoning. Add shrimp to the skillet and cook 2–3 minutes per side until pink and cooked through. Squeeze lemon juice over the shrimp and toss to combine.
- Serve. Spoon creamy grits into bowls. Top with spicy shrimp and pan sauce. Garnish with crispy bacon and sliced green onions. Serve with warm jalapeño cornbread on the side.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 520 | Protein: 28g | Fat: 24g | Carbs: 48g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 860mg